Man Fatally Shoots Self Inside Ala. Federal Courthouse

Officers block the entrance to the Hugo L. Black U.S. Courthouse in Birmingham, Ala. on Dec. 13.

Photo credit: AP Photo/AL.com, Joe Songer

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Police in Alabama say an employee is dead after shooting himself inside a federal courthouse.

Birmingham Police Sgt. Johnny Williams says an unidentified worker pulled out a weapon and shot himself once in the head about 9:30 a.m. Thursday.

No one else was harmed and Williams says there wasn't a threat to anyone else in the building.

Williams says the shooting happened in a first-floor clerk's office. He says the man apparently was able to get the weapon inside because he worked in the building. Visitors are normally required to go through metal detectors.

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